We’ll be holding this year’s Norfolk’s Sea Watch Foundation National Whale and Dolphin Watch (NWDW) tomorrow (Sunday 6th August) 11am to 5pm from the broken bench on the eastern side of The Promenade at Overstrand. NR27 0NG If you would like to join us for a while to see if we can find a cetacean or two it would be appreciated. With a couple, if not more, whales seen offshore this week it may prove productive!

This years Sea Watch Foundation National Whale and Dolphin watch event will be held on Sunday 6th August from the slope at Overstrand off Coast Road NR27 0NG here in Norfolk. The watch will start at 11am and go on until 5pm. Please come and join us for as long as you feel able. You may also like to set up your own watch within the National Whale and Dolphin Week 29th July to 6th August. If you do please call me on 01263 576 995 and I’ll let you have the details you need – any help in recording cetaceans off Norfolk during this national event would be appreciated.

Over the past forty years, whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans) around our coast have been monitored by Sea Watch Foundation scientists as well as volunteer observers all around the coast. For the past 14 years this has been spearheaded through an annual event, the ‘National Whale & Dolphin Watch’. This years’ event takes place between 23rd and 31st July.

Sharon and I will again be present this year on Sunday 24th at The Promenade in Overstrand – on the east slope. Park at Coast Road at NR27 0NG from 9am to 4pm – we look forward to seeing you. Everybody welcome.

Those of you that have registered to receive tweets, text’s or mails on the Norfolk Cetacean website will know that recently there has been a young female Minke washed ashore on the coast here in Norfolk this month. Her corpse was swept up the beach at Overstrand but immediately washed back out to sea. Several days later the tides eventually brought her to rest under the revetments in the parish of Paston further to the east.

I went to take some samples of the corpse last weekend for the Natural History Museum under direction from members of the CSIP (Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme)

It was heart-warming to see a steady progression of visitors walking out to see the little girl. No bystanders these. I’ve never been bombarded by so many questions; especially from the children. One young pair of budding biologists come to mind. It was good to see so much interest. All I hope, and I do genuinely wish for them, that one day they will see a whale swimming free in the ocean rather than lifeless on a beach, and it brings delight to them … as it has over the years for me.

Once again Sharon and I will be holding a sea watch at Overstrand on Sunday 27th July for The Sea Watch Foundation National Whale and Dolphin Watch (NWDW). All are welcome to come along and join in – the more watchers we have the better. We’ll be there from 9am to 5pm and hope to spot a few cetaceans and other sea mammals as well as seabirds throughout the day. You will be able to find us at The Promenade off Coast Road, Overstrand, Norfolk NR27 0NG. If you cant make our event there are others around the coast – see here for full details.

A couple of events in which you may be interested if you live in Norfolk:
Firstly on Sunday 21st July there will be an afternoon of talks and entertainment offered by Seawatch Foundation at Cley Village Hall from 2.30 to around 4.30pm – ever wanted to know more about cetaceans … here’s your chance. An ask the experts panel will answer all your questions … but don’t make them too hard … as I’m one of the members of the panel.
Secondly on Saturday the 27th July Sharon and I will be doing a Seawatch as part of the Sea Watch Foundation National Whale & Dolphin Watch. We will be on the bench on the Promenade below Clifton Way in Overstrand from 9am until 5pm. If you care to join us for a spell you would be made most welcome.
Hopefully we’ll be seeing at least some Harbour Porpoise or maybe … just maybe, if we are very lucky, one or two of these…